To Dance or Not To Dance
by Mysterious Midnighter
Summary: A dancer's life in Israel...A realistic fiction, enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

* * *

Mechola (To dance in Hebrew)

Ahavat (Love in Hebrew)

"Dror Yikra l'ven im bat V'yintsorchem k'mo vavat. Na'im shimchem velo yushbat. Sh'vu venuchu b'yom Shabbat." Yonatan Razel's comforting voice filled Mechola's room. She leaned over and looked at her clock. It's bright, red numbers read, "7:00 AM". Mechola got out of bed slowly and sleepily, dragging her feet to the bathroom. She turned on the water, tested the temperature, undressed and stepped in. As the hot water cascaded down her aching body, her muscles started to relax.

"Chol? Are you in there? Come on, I need to take a shower too," Ahavat's voice called through the door.

"One second!" she called back. She finished washing her hair and body and unwillingly turned off the flowing water. With a towel wrapped around her, Machol opened the door to the bathroom, bringing with her a cloud of warm steam.

"Thank you!" said Ahavat while at the same time pushing past her sister, " You know, you're not the only one around here who likes being clean."

"_Siblings could be so annoying at times,"_ she thought to herself. She then proceeded to go her room and get dressed for dance class.

She looked around her slightly messy room and finally located her big, black dance bag under a pile of books and dirty clothes. From the dance bag, she withdrew a spaghetti-strap, light purple leotard and light pink, stretchy tights. Mechola then started to wiggle her feet and legs into the tights and then stepped into her leotard and with a loud 'SNAP', released the straps from her grasp. But, Mechola wasn't done yet, because she then slipped into a pair of blue jeans and a big, baggy blue sweatshirt. Then she grabbed her bag and practically leaped down the stairs, right into the kitchen.

Mechola had always liked her kitchen, with it's welcomingly, warm pale yellow walls and the Jerusalem stone floor. The big window that took up about half of the wall was her favorite part. In the morning, when the sun was rising slowly into the sky, it's glowing rays would wash over the kitchen, illuminating the metal pots and pans that hung above the sink and counter.

Mechola set down her bag, and opened the pantry. She surveyed the possible candidates for breakfast: oatmeal, cereal, or waffles. She glanced at her watch nervously, "_Damn, no time for a good breakfast," _and grabbed a granola bar. Then out the door, into the car, and off to dance...


	2. Chapter 2

Eliana Fisher

1/24/08

Mechola (To dance)

Ahavat (love; brotherhood)

**Chapter 1**

"Dror Yikra l'ven im bat V'yintsorchem k'mo vavat. Na'im shimchem velo yushbat. Sh'vu venuchu b'yom Shabbat." Yonatan Razel's comforting voice filled Mechola's room. She leaned over and looked at her clock. It's bright, red numbers read, "7:00 AM". Mechola got out of bed slowly and sleepily, dragging her feet to the bathroom. She turned on the water, tested the temperature, undressed and stepped in. As the hot water cascaded down her aching body, her muscles started to relax.

"Chol? Are you in there? Come on, I need to take a shower too," Ahavat's voice called through the door.

"One second!" she called back. She finished washing her hair and body and unwillingly turned off the flowing water. With a towel wrapped around her, Machol opened the door to the bathroom, bringing with her a cloud of warm steam.

"Thank you!" said Ahavat while at the same time pushing past her sister, " You know, you're not the only one around here who likes being clean."

"_Siblings could be so annoying at times,"_ she thought to herself. She then proceeded to go her room and get dressed for dance class.

She looked around her slightly messy room and finally located her big, black dance bag under a pile of books and dirty clothes. From the dance bag, she withdrew a spaghetti-strap, light purple leotard and light pink, stretchy tights. Mechola then started to wiggle her feet and legs into the tights and then stepped into her leotard and with a loud 'SNAP', released the straps from her grasp. But, Mechola wasn't done yet, because she then slipped into a pair of blue jeans and a big, baggy blue sweatshirt. Then she grabbed her bag and practically leaped down the stairs, right into the kitchen.

Mechola had always liked her kitchen, with it's welcomingly, warm pale yellow walls and the Jerusalem stone floor. The big window that took up about half of the wall was her favorite part. In the morning, when the sun was rising slowly into the sky, it's glowing rays would wash over the kitchen, illuminating the metal pots and pans that hung above the sink and counter.

Mechola set down her bag, and opened the pantry. She surveyed the possible candidates for breakfast: oatmeal, cereal, or waffles. She glanced at her watch nervously, _"Damn, no time for a good breakfast,"_ and grabbed a granola bar. Then out the door, into the car, and off to dance...

**Chapter 2**

The scenes of Israel blurred into a rainbow of colors, as Mechola drove down the streets to her dance studio. And then, she was there. Mechola looked upon the dance studio with a feel of love in her heart. This was the place where she was able to fly, where she was as graceful as a swan. She pushed on the glass door to the studio, and it swung open with a satisfying _swish_ sound.

Mechola took a deep breath in; the air in the studio always had this sweet scent to it, like vanilla. With that familiar smell, came the regular noise; classical, hip-hop, and oldie's music spilled out from the different studios, tap shoes on the floor, giggles from the dressing room, the almost silent buzz from the water fountain, and the quiet hum of the microwave filled the air around Mechola.

Mechola started walking towards the dressing room, almost bumping into one of the little dancers on her way there. She pushed aside the curtain and stepped into the dressing room.


	3. Chapter 3 through 6

Eliana Fisher

Eliana Fisher

1/24/08

Mechola (To dance)

Ahavat (love; brotherhood)

Gabrielle (God is my might)

**Chapter 1**

"Dror Yikra l'ven im bat V'yintsorchem k'mo vavat.  Na'im shimchem velo yushbat. Sh'vu venuchu b'yom Shabbat." Yonatan Razel's comforting voice filled Mechola's room song. She leaned over and looked at her clock. Its bright, red numbers read, "7:00 AM". Mechola got out of bed slowly and sleepily, dragging her feet to the bathroom. She turned on the water, tested the temperature, undressed and stepped in. As the hot water cascaded down her aching body, her muscles started to relax.

"Chol? Are you in there? Come on, I need to take a shower too," Ahavat's voice called through the door.

"One second!" she called back. She finished washing her hair and body and unwillingly turned off the flowing water. With a towel wrapped around her, Machol opened the door to the bathroom, bringing with her a cloud of warm steam.

"Thank you!" said Ahavat while at the same time pushing past her sister. "You know, you're not the only one around here who likes being clean."

"_Siblings can be so annoying at times,"_ she thought to herself. She then proceeded to go her room to get dressed for dance class.

She looked around her slightly messy room and finally located her big, black dance bag under a pile of books and dirty clothes. From the dance bag, she withdrew a spaghetti-strapped, light purple leotard and light pink, stretchy tights. Mechola started to wiggle her feet and legs into the tights and then stepped into her leotard and with a loud '_SNAP,'_ released the straps from her grasp. But Mechola wasn't done yet, because she then slipped into a pair of blue jeans and a big, baggy blue sweatshirt. Then she grabbed her bag and practically leaped down the stairs, right into the kitchen.

Mechola had always liked her kitchen, with its welcomingly, warm pale yellow walls and the Jerusalem stone floor. The big window that took up about half of the wall was her favorite part. In the morning, when the sun was rising slowly in the sky, its glowing rays would wash over the kitchen, illuminating the metal pots and pans that hung above the sink and counter.

Mechola set down her bag and opened the pantry. She surveyed the possible candidates for breakfast: oatmeal, cereal, or waffles. She glanced at her watch nervously, _"Damn, no time for a good breakfast,"_ and grabbed a granola bar and her dance bag. Then out the door, into the car, and off to dance...

**Chapter 2**

The scenes of Israel blurred into a rainbow of colors, as Mechola drove down the streets to her dance studio. And then, she was there. Mechola looked upon the dance studio with a feeling of love in her heart. This was the place where she was able to fly, where she was as graceful as a swan. She pushed on the glass door to the studio, and it swung open with a satisfying _swish_ sound.

Mechola inhaled; the air in the studio always had this sweet scent to it, like vanilla. With that familiar smell, came the regular noise; classical, hip-hop, and oldie's music spilled out from the different studios, tap shoes on the floor, giggles from the dressing room, the almost silent buzz from the water fountain, and the quiet hum of the microwave filled the air around Mechola.

Mechola started walking towards the dressing room, almost bumping into one of the little dancers on her way there. She pushed aside the curtain and stepped into the dressing room. Then, setting down her bag in a corner, unbuttoned her jeans and shimmied out of them. After tucking her jeans into her bag, she took off her sweatshirt, and put that in her bag too. Then, from the bag, she extracted one of her most prized possessions, her Pointe shoes.

Mechola unraveled the ribbons that were wound tight around the shoes. Then she slipped them on her feet and began to coil the smooth silk ribbons in a criss-cross pattern around her ankle and then her foot. Just as Mechola was about to finish, Gabrielle walked into the dressing room.

"Hey," said Gabrielle, setting down her bag beside Mechola's bag.

"Hey, what's up?" replied Mechola.

"Not a lot. Do you know if we're starting our dance for the recital, today?"

"I think so, I remember her saying something about beginning it today, but I could be wrong."

"Ok. So what about you? Anything new?"

"No, not really. Went to sleep, got up, went to take a shower, and had to get out before I wanted because Ahavat wanted the shower. You know, as much as I love her, she can be so annoying a lot of the time."

Gabrielle laughed, "Well, she _is _your little sister."

"I know." Mechola glanced up at the clock above their heads, "Time for dance. Come on let's go."

"Ok-y do-ky," replied Gabrielle.

And so, they got up and clomped their way to studio 1.

**Chapter 3**

Just as they were about to reach the studio, a stampede of little dancers in rose-pink leotards, and light-pink ballet slippers rushed out of the door to the studio. Gabrielle and Mechola managed to dodge them and make it safely into the studio.

Standing at the CD player with her blonde hair in a bun, and dressed in a black leotard, a blue wrap tutu, pink tights, and toes shoes was the one and only, Hamora Rachel.

"Shalom Hamora Rachel!" called the girls as they walked into the studio.

"Boker tov ladies," Hamora Rachel replied.

"Are we starting our dance for the recital today?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact we are. Why don't you girls go stretch for a little while we wait for the rest of the class?"

"Ok, Hamora."

The girls walked over to the bar, and while Mechola put her right leg up on the top bar and reached over with her arm to her foot, Gabrielle did rond de jambs. Then when all the girls were finally in the studio, class began. It began with regular stretches at the bar for about 45 minutes, then moving onto the middle of the floor doing some combinations, and last across the floor. Hamora Rachel stopped the music and called of the girls to sit down in front of her spot at the stereo. "Ladies, today we are going to listen to the music for your recital and then next week we will begin learning the dance." The girls giggled and whispered suddenly filled with excitement. The sound of castanets, and notes with a Spanish accent filled the ears of all the girls. "Your recital song is from Swan Lake, 'Spanish Dance,'" announced Hamora Rachel…

Chapter 4

The girls curtsied, then clapped and class was over. Mechola and Gabrielle walked back to the dressing room, giggling and talking about the recital, school, gossip, and life in general, and finally about the attacks. "I love our dance recital!" giggled Mechola.

"So do I! But, I can't believe how much homework the teachers are giving us! It's so unfair, a project for Hebrew, 25 problems for Math, a paper for History, and ugh! I don't want to even start thinking about it again," replied Gabrielle.

"I know. I hate it too," said Mechola. By then they had reached the dressing room and began to change back into their regular clothes and gather up their bags. When they were done, Mechola offered Gabrielle a ride home. Gabrielle gratefully accepted and they walked outside into the bright sunlight. Mechola paused for a second and closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Outside was Mechola's 3rd favorite place to be. The first place was home and her second favorite place was the dance center. Then Mechola unlocked the car, and they got in. Mechola turned on the radio, the news station came on and a deep voice with a heavy Israeli accent filled the air. "Another attack happened in Tel Aviv this morning, in an open market. So far there have been 10 deaths and 15 injuries reported so far, we will update you on this situation when we have more information."

Mechola sighed, the attacks had been getting more and more frequent, closer and closer to home. Her ever constant worry that something bad would happen to her family, her friends, her school, her home, or her dance studio decided to come out from it's usual place at the back of her mind and make her think about her least favorite thing. Mechola frowned. "What's wrong?" asked Gabrielle.

"Nothing, just thinking about all that homework I have."

"Well, do you want to come over and we can do our homework together?"

"Yeah, that'd be fun. But first I have to check on Ahavat, is that ok with you if I stop at home first?"

"Sure."

Mechola turned off the radio and popped in a Yael Naim CD. Gabrielle and Mechola sang along until they reached Mechola's house and had to turn off the car.

Chapter 5

Ahavat heard the car engine coming up the driveway, and then the slam of car doors. She quickly turned off the TV and opened the book that she was reading for school. As soon as she had opened the book, the front door opened as well and in came Mechola with Gabrielle right behind her.

"Hey 'Vat! I'm home and I have Gabrielle with me!" Mechola called out.

"Hey," Ahavat's voice came from the direction of the living room, "What's up?" She got up from the couch and walked to the front door.

"Nothing much, I'm going to go over to Gabrielle's house and do homework. I just came home to check on you, you OK with that?"

"Yeah, I'm ok with that."

"OK, good. So, did anyone call or anything?"

"Nope, do you know when Ema or Abba will be home?"

"Well, Ema is at work and I think she'll be home at around 2 pm and I don't know about Abba. If you want you can call him."

"Ok, well, see you later, love you."

"Love you too," as Ahavat turned away to go back to her homework, Mechola couldn't help but smile at the back of her little sister's head.

Chapter 6

Finally, the two girls reached Gabrielle's house.


End file.
